Selvage shuttle operating mechanism for looms



Feb. 26, 1952 N. FLETCHER ETAL 2,587,454

SELVAGE SHUTTLE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Sept. 50, 1950 INVENTORS. NORMAN FLETCHER 7 WALTER Y. ROBB 7 98 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 26, 1952 SELVAGE SHUTTLE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR LooMs Norman Fletcher, Worcester, and Walter Y. Robb,

. Whitinsville, Mass, assignors to. Crompton &

Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 30, 1950, Serial No. 187,736

This invention relates to mechanisms for operating selvage shuttles of needle looms more particularly of the Axminster type.

Axminster looms generally operate with a needle which lays a double pick or loop of weft through the warp shed. A selvage shuttle at one side of the loom passes through the weft loop while the needle is fully inserted in the shed and the needle is then retracted and the weft drawn tightly around the selvage thread of the shuttle. In the past the shuttle has been reciprocated along an arcuate shuttle race by means of levers and links having sufllcient lost motion to interfere with the proper operation of the shuttle. It is an important object of the present invention to provide an improved actuator mechanism for the selvage shuttle including preferably a flexible operating wire or the like part of which moves in an arcuate path adjacent to the axis of the driving arm of the shuttle actuating mechanism. The

arcuate path permits the use of a tight connection between the wire and a driving arm, thereby eliminating lost motion.

The selvage shuttle ordinarily carries a relatively small cop or package or selvage thread j which is consumed after a relatively short period seer to release the picking means so that it can be raised for the purpose of removing the shuttle and inserting a new cop of selvage thread into it.

It is another object of the present invention to provide picking means having a sliding motion with respect to the oscillating shaft and held in position by a spring which normally positions the picking means for cooperation with the shuttle but yields to permit the picking means to be raised without requiring a tool so that the shuttle can be replaced or have its weft supply renewed.

In order that fine adjustments may be made between the driving arm and the picking means it is another object of the invention to formthe driving arm with a notched or serrated bore to fit a correspondingly shaped collar or sleeve slidable on the oscillating shaft to a position out of mesh with the driving arm, thereby permitting relative angular motion of the arm and sleeve to effect angular adjustment.

It is a still further object of the invention to locate the adjusting sleeve in such position that it will be held in operative relation with respect to the driving arm by the picking means when 21 Claims. (Cl. 139124) 2 the latter is held down in its normal position by the aforesaid spring.

In order to facilitate the previously mentioned angular adjustment it is a further object of the invention to provide the oscillating shaft with some means which will temporarily hold the pick ing arm in raised position to permit elevation of the adjusting sleeve. This holding may be effected by means of a pin or the like which when removed enables the spring to return both the picking arm and the adjusting sleeve to their normal operating positions.

The selvage shuttle operating mechanisms of looms of varying widths are not all located at the same distance from the loomsides of the loom frame. Thus, in a 12/ 4 Axminister loom the shuttle race is farther from the adjacent loomside than in 16/4 or 20/4 looms. In order that the same operating mechanism for the selvage may be employed on looms of varying widths it is a further object of the invention to provide a reversible mounting which can be fitted to the loom in such position as to locate the selvage shuttle operating mechanism correctly on looms of different widths.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a con- Q venient embodiment of the invention is set forth.

Fig. 1 is an ,end elevation of part of an Axminster loom having the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view looking in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section on line 3-3, Fig 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged horizontal sections on lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section-on line 66, Fig. 1, and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to the upper part of Fig. 3 showing the parts in a different position.

Referring to Fig. 1, the loom frame I of an Axminster loom supports a bottom shaft 2 which in the present instance rotates once for every in the present instance has three high points 6 i and three low points 1-, and inclines 8 and declines 9 connecting the high and low points. An acwater or lever l0 pivoted as at l l on a stationaryv stand l2 has a roll [3 cooperating with the cam and causing the lever to have three reciprocations for each rotation of shaft 2. 4

A weft needle N introduces a loop or double pick of weft or filling F into the warp shed W, see Fig. 2, while lever is positioned by a high dwell 6, after which the cam rocks the lever in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig. 1, while the needle is still in the shed. The needle is then withdrawn and the cam returns the lever to the position shown in Fig. 1.

A stand i5 is secured as at 16 to the loomside M of loom frame i and has an arm l'l extending at right angles to the loomside to which an L-shaped bracket is is secured as at l9. Bracket i8 has an arm 20 extending along arm i1 and has a second arm 2i which may be parallel to the loomside M. A support 23 is secured to arm 2| as at 24 and extends toward needle N, see Fig. 2, and has secured thereto an arcuate shuttle race 25 for a selvage shuttle S supplying a selvage thread T. Vertical arcuate walls 2'5 and 2? of the race plate assist in guiding the shuttle along its arcuate path.

The support 23 is formed with a depending cylinder 36 within which is located an upright oscillating actuator, shown here as shaft 3!. This shaft is mounted on upper and lower roller bearings 32 and 33, respectively, having outer shells 34 fitting against the interior of the cylinder Bil and having inner shells 35 fitted against the shaft. A sleeve 36 held in position on the support 23 by a pin 3? determines the vertical position of the bearings and a nut 38 screw threaded to the lower end of the shaft tightens the inner shells of the bearings against the bearing rollers 3a in order to hold the shaft in correct position for oscillation centrally of the bearings.

Extending across the upper end of the cylr inder 3i} and secured to the latter as at 40 is a plate Al on which is mounted a guide designated generally at 42. This guide comprises upper and lower plates 43 and 44, respectively, held to the plate H by screws 45. These plates are spaced vertically and are formed with grooves 16 concentric with the shaft 3!. A driving arm 4'5 islocated between the upper and lower plates 43 and 44 and has the outer end thereof secured to the wire 48 of a flexible force transmitter 49 one end of which fits into an ar'cuate guideway 5i? formed by the grooves :36 and concentric with shaft .ii. The flexible force transmitter GB passes through. a tube 5i secured to the guide 42 by sleeves 52 and 53 as shown for instance in Fig. 6. The wire 48 has secured thereto heads 5t which hold the wire centered with respect to the tube 5! and the plates 43 and 44.

As shown in Fig. l the tube 5! extends downwardly to a support 55 fixed with respect to the loom, and having a clamp 55 to secure the adjacent end of the tube 5!. A second tube 5! hinged as at 58' to the clamp 58 has passing therethrough the lower end of the flexible transmitter 49. The latter is connected by a head 58 to the previously described actuator lever It).

The driving arm ti has a bore 65- formed with serrations 86 as indicated in Fig. 6' to fit similar serrations 6? on an adjusting sleeve member 53 surrounding and slidable along the shaft 31'. The upper end of shaft 31 has fiat sides it which fit. the upper part H of the sleeve 68, thereby requiring the sleeve and shaft to" rock or oscillate in unison. When the, Sleeve 4 is fitted into the driving arm 4?, as shown for instance in Fig. 3, the actuator lever in acting through the flexible transmitter 49 will oscillate the driving arm 41 and shaft 3|.

The upper'end of the shaft 3| has mounted thereon a picking shuttle means designated generally at 15 including a hub (6 fitting and slidable along the non-circular upper end of the shaft. An arm Ti extending laterally from the hub 16 has secured thereto a shuttle driving or picking arm 18 overhanging the shuttle race and formed with depending fingers 19 and which act in usual manner to slide the shuttle S along the race as the shaft oscillates. A bolt 8| secures the arms Ti and i8 together in adjusted position radially with respect to the axis of the shaft 31. I

The shaft 3| is hollow as indicated in Fig. 3 and has a bore in which is located a resilient means" such as tension spring 36. The upper end of this spring is held by a pin 81 which is secured to the hub 76 and extends through vertical slots in the walls of the shaft 3!. In Fig. 3 one of these vertical slots is shown at 88.

The lower end of sprin 86 is held by a fit ting, such for instance as a cotter pin 90', to a plate 9i extending across the bottom of and secured to the depending cylinder 30 by screws 92. A radial hole passing through the shaft 3! is adapted to receive a removable holding means, such as a pin 96 shown in Fig. '7.

The wire 48 is held to the outer end of the driving arm 41 by means of nuts 91 on opposite sides of the arm and screw threaded on the wire 48. By this construction the right hand end of the wire, Fig. 3-, is fixed with respect to the driving arm and there is no lost motion between these two parts.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3 spring 86 will hold the picking means down in normal position and turning of the cam 5 will cause the actuator lever I0 to reciprocate the flexible force transmitter 49 with respect to the tubes 5! and 5'! and the guideway 56. The driving arm is thus reciprocated and force is transmitted from it through the sleeve 58 to the upper non-circular part of the shaft 3| and from the latter to the hub 16 and the picking arm 18 to slide the shuttle back and forth along the shuttle race 25.

When the supply of selvage thread within the shuttle is depleted the operator will slide the pick ing means'upwardly along the shaft 3! to an inoperative position until the hole 95 is uncovered and then will insert the holding pin 9t into the hole as indicated in Fig. 7. This will lift the picking arm 18 and also the fingers l9 and 80- depending from it to a sufficiently high position above the shuttle race to permit vertical removal of theshuttle from the race and walls 28 and 21. The pin 96 will hold the picking arm in its in'- operative position during the time that a new supply of s'elvage thread is being inserted into the shuttle and when the latter has'been returned to the shuttle race the pin 96 can be withdrawn. whereupon the spring, previously stretched when. hub 16 was raised, will contract to move the pick-- ing' arm down toward the shuttle race and re-' turn the picking arm to its normal operating position with respect to the shuttle. It will be seen that this operation of renewing the thread supply of the shuttle can be effected without the use of a. wrench as has been necessary heretofore. The; slots 88 are of sufiici'ent height: to permit upward movement of the pin 81 when the hub 16 is raised to the position shown in Fig. '7.

If it is desired to adjust the angular position of the driving arm 41 with respect to the picking arm 18, the hub 16 can be moved upwardly on the shaft 3| and held in raised position as already described in connection with Fig. 7. The sleeve 68 can then be slid upwardly on the shaft from its normal driving position to non-driving position with its serrations disengaged from the.

serration of the driving arm, after which the shaft 3| can be turned to the desired angular position and the sleeve 68 then moved downwardly to reestablish operative connections between the driving arm and the shaft. The serrated sleeve 68 and bore of the driving arm form in effect an adjustable clutch or coupling by which the shaft and arm 41 can be connected in various angular relations.

3 After the sleeve has been returned to its normal position the pin 96 can be removed and the spring will move the hub I6 down against the sleeve to hold the latter in normal position with its bottom resting on the base plate 4! as shown in Fig. 3. If desired, sleeve 68 can be limited in its down motion by a shoulder 98 on the shaft 3!, see Fig. 7 The spring therefore performs the dual function of holding the picking means and the sleeve 68 in their normal driving positions but will yield to permit both of these parts to move to non-driving positions.

Mention has already been made of the fact that the shuttle actuating mechanism is located at different distances from a loomside M in Axminster looms of different widths. As set forth. in full lines in Fig. 2 the parts are assembled for use in a loom of a given width, such for instance as 16/4. When, however, the same mechanism is to be used on a 12/4 loom the bracket 58 will be reversed to the position indicated in dotted lines. When the support 23 is secured to the arm 2| of the reversed bracket the shuttle operating mechanism will then be nearer the loom frame I to adapt it for use in a different width loom, such as 12/4.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention sets forth an improved driving means between the actuator lever H) and the shaft 3! including a flexible force transmitter 49 the end of which adjacent to the driving arm il moves in an arcuate hollow guideway concentric with the shaft 3! and because of this fact the wire at can be clamped tightly to the driving arm by the nuts 9?, and there will be little if any relative angular motion between the arm 47 and wire 48. This eliminates the lost motion previously existing in this part of selvage shuttle operating mechanisms and enables the picking arm to impart more precise reciprocating motions to the selvage shuttle 5 resulting in higher speeds and better selvages. It will also be seen that the picking arm 18 is held down in its normal position with the outer end thereof overhanging the shuttle race 25 by means of the spring 85 which however can be stretched to lift the picking arm to an inoperative position with respect to the shuttle to permit removal of the latter for the purpose of renewing its weft supply. It will further be seen that the sleeve 68 is slidable upwardly along the shaft 3| from driving position to non-driving position for disengagement with the driving arm 4? to permit angular adjustment of the latter with respect to the shaft. This upward motion of the sleeve can be effected when the picking arm is in the raised position shown in Fig. 7. After the adjustment has been made, or after a shuttle with a renewed weft supply has been returned to the shuttle race, the holding means, such as pin 96, can be removed, whereupon the spring will return the parts to normal driving position. It will also be seen that the bracket I8 is so made that it can be reversed with respect to the stand l5 to enable the mechanism for actuating the shuttle to be adapted to looms of different widths wherein the shuttle races are required to be at different distances from the loom frame I.

Having thus described the invention it will be seen that changes and modifications of the foregoing specific disclosure may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a loom having a reciprocating actuator and a picking arm for a selvage shuttle movable in an arcuate shuttle race, a shaft concentric with the shuttle race operatively connected to and turning with the picking arm, a. driving arm operatively connected to the shaft and turning therewith, a flexible force transmitter connected at one end thereof 'to and reciprocated by said actuator and secured at the other end thereof to said driving arm, and an arcuate hollow guide concentric with said shaft in which said other end of the force transmitter moves when the latteris reciprocated by the actuator.

2. In selvage shuttle operating mechanism for a loom having an arcuate shuttle race for the shuttle and a shaft and picking arm for the shuttle oscillatable about an axis concentric with the shuttle race, an actuator reciprocating during loom operation, a driving arm operatively connected to and turning with the shaft, a flexible force transmitter connected at one end thereof to and reciprocated by the actuator and connected at the other end thereof to said driving arm, and a stationary guide for said other end of the force transmitter concentric with said axis and causing said other end to move without appreciable angular motion relative to the driving arm as the force transmitter is reciprocated by said actuator.

3. In selvage shuttle operating mechanism for a loom having an arcuate shuttle race for the shuttle and a shaft and picking arm for the shuttle oscillatable about an axis concentric with the shuttle race, an actuator reciprocating during loom operation, a driving arm movable about said axis and turning with said shaft, a flexible wire operatively connecting said driving arm and actuator and reciprocated by the latter, and a stationary guide for the end of the wire adjacent to the driving arm arcuate with said axis and causing said end of the wire to move with the driving arm around said axis as the actuator reciprocates said wire.

4. In selvage shuttle operating mechanism for a loom having an arcuate shuttle racev for the shuttle and a shaft and picking arm for the shuttle oscillatable about an axis concentric with the shuttle race, an actuator reciprocating during loom operation, upper and lower plates fixed with respect to the loom, a driving arm :wire concentric with'said axis and causing said J AM 'Z other end of the wire to movewithout appreciable angular motion relative to the driving arm as. the wire is reciprocated by the actuator.

5. In a loom operating with a selvage. shuttle moved back and. forth in an arcuate race by a picking arm mounted on and turning with a shaft mounted rotatably on the loom about the axis of said race, a driving arm operatively connected to and turning with theshaft, a flexible force transmitting member having a wire core secured at one end. thereof to the driving arm, a reciprocating actuator connected to the other end of the core, stationary guide plates onopposite sides of; the. driving arm formed with guide grooves facing each other'andconcentric with the shaft, and centering means in the grooves surrounding the wire core effectiveto cause the part of the core adjacent to the driving arm to follow a path. concentric with the shaft as the actuator reciprocates said other end. of the core.

6. In a loom operating with a selvage. shuttle moved back and forth in an arcuate race by a {pickingv arm rotated by a shaft mounted on the loom for rotation about the: axis of said race,

a driving arm operatively connected to and rotating about said axis with the shaft, a flexible force transmitting member secured at one end thereof to said driving arm, a reciprocating actuator connected to the: other end of the flexible member, and stationary guides on opposite sides of the driving. arm. formed. with. guide grooves facing each other and. concentric with said axis and guiding said one end oi the flexible member in an arcuate path as-the: actuator reciprocates the member to oscillate the driving arm and effect oscillation of the shaft and picking arm 10.. In a loom having a shuttle race for a. selvage shuttle, an oscillating actuator, picking means for the shuttle oscillated by the actuator and movable relatively to the latter in. adirection away from the shuttle race, and means normally holding. the picking means in position to reciprocate the shuttle along the shuttle race as the actuator oscillates but yieldable to enable the picking means to move to a position out of driving relation with the shuttle to permit removal of the latter from the shuttle. race.

11. In a loom having a shuttle race for a sel-- vage shuttle, an oscillating actuator, picking means for the shuttle oscillated by the actuator and movable relatively to the latter in a direc tion away from the shuttle race, and resilient means normally holding the picking means in driving relation with the shuttle but yieldable to enable the picking means to be moved out of driving relation with thefshuttle to permit removal of the latter from the shuttle race, said to move the shuttle back and forth in said race.

7. In a loom having a selvage shuttlemovable along a shuttle race and removable: from the race by upward motion, an oscillating actuator, picking means for the shuttle overhanging the shuttle race oscillated by said actuator and movable thereon in a direction away from said shuttle race, and resilient means normally holding the picking arm in an operative position relative to the shuttle to reciprocate the latter along the shuttle race as the actuator oscillates but yielding to' enable the picking arm to be raised out of operative position with respect to the shuttle to permit removal of the latter from the shuttle race.

8. In a loom having a selvage shuttle movable along a shuttle race, an. oscillating. actuator, picking means for the shuttle oscillated by and slidable on the actuator in a direction away from said shuttle race, and resilient means normally holding the picking means in position to reciprocate the shuttle along the shuttle race as the actuator oscillates, said resilientmeans yielding to enable the picking means to slide along the actuator out of driving relation with the shuttle to permit removal of the latter from the shuttle race.

9. In a loom having a shuttle race fora selvage shuttle, an oscillating actuator shaft, picking means for the shuttle oscillated by the shaft and slidable relatively to the latter in a direction away from the shuttle race, and means normally holding the picking means in position to reciprocate the shuttle along the shuttle race as the shaft oscillates but yieldable to enable the picking means to move away from the shuttle race to a position out of driving relation with the shuttle to permit removal of the latter from the shuttle race.

resilient. means being eifective to return the picking means to driving relation with the shuttle.

12. In a loom having a selvage shuttle movable along a shuttle race, an oscillating hollow actuator shaft, picking. means slidable along the shaft in a direction toward and from the shuttle race, said picking means being oscillated by the shaft, and a spring within the shaft normally holding the picking means in operative position relative to the shuttle to enable the latter to reciprocate ,the shuttle along said race as the shaft oscillates, said spring being yieldable to enable the picking arm to slide along the shaft away fromthe shuttle race out of operative position relative to the shuttle. to permit removal of the latter from the shuttle race, the spring thereafter returning the picking means by movement of. the latter toward the shuttle race to operative position. relative to the shuttle.

13. In a loom having a shuttle movable along a shuttle race, an oscillating actuator, picking means for the shuttle oscillated by the actuator and capable of assuming operative and inoperative positions along the actuator with respect to the shuttle and effective when in operative position and oscillated by the actuator to reciprocate the shuttle along said race, and resilient means normally holding the picking means in said operative position but yieldable to enable the picking means to move to said inoperative position to permit removal of the shuttle.

14. The structure set forth in claim 13 wherein the resilient means returns the picking means to said. operative position.

15. The structure set forth in claim 13 wherein a removable holder retains the picking means in said inoperative position and said resilient means returns the picking mean to said operative position when the holder is removed.

16. In a loom having a selvage shuttle movable along a shuttle race and removable from the race by upward motion, an oscillating actuator, picking means for the shutt e overhanging the shuttle race oscillated by said actuator and movable thereon in a direction away from said shuttle race, two depending finger on the picking means to engage and reciprocate the shuttle along the race when. the picking means is oscillated by the actuator, and resilient means normally holding the picking means with said fingers in position to engage the shuttle during. oscillation of the actuator but yieldable to enable the picking means to move upwardly to a tive position out of driving relation with the shuttle, a driving arm for the actuator, clutch means between the driving arm and actuator including a sleeve slidable on the actuator from normal driving position to non-driving position,-

and means holding the picking means in normal position and causing the picking means to hold the sleeve in driving position, said means being yieldable to enable the picking means to move to inoperative position and the sleeve to nondriving position.

18. In a loom having a selvage shuttle, an oscillating actuator, picking means for the shuttle movable on the actuator from normal position in driving relation with the shuttle to inoperative position out of driving relation with the shuttle, a driving arm for the actuator, clutch means between the driving arm and actuator eluding a sleeve slidable on the actuator from normal driving position to non-driving position, and resilient means normally effective to hold the picking means and the sleeve in the normal positions thereof but yieldable to enable the picking means to move to the inoperative position thereof and the sleeve to move to the nondriving position thereof.

19. In a loom having a selvage shuttle, a hollow oscillating shaft, picking means oscillated :1

by said shaft normally in operative picking position relative to the shuttle but slidable on the shaft to an inoperative position relative to the shuttle, a driving arm for the shaft, clutch means between the shaft and driving arm including a member normally in driving position but slidable along the shaft to non-driving position to disconnect the driving arm from the shaft, and a spring within the shaft normally holding the 10 picking means and said member in the normal positions thereof but yieldable to enable the picking arm to move to the inoperative position thereof and the member to move to the nondriving position thereof.

20. In selvage shuttle operating mechanism for a loom including an oscillating shaft, a driving arm for the shaft, clutch means between the driving arm and shaft including a member slidable on the shaft from normally driving position to non-driving position to disconnect the arm from the shaft, and resilient means operatively connected to the member normally holding the latter in driving position but yieldable to enable the member to slide along the shaft to non-driving position.

21. In a loom having a selvage shuttle movable along a shuttle race, an oscillating hollow actuator shaft, picking -means slidable along the shaft in a direction toward and from the shuttle race, said picking means being oscillated by the shaft, said shaft having slots therein extending lengthwise thereof, a pin secured to the picking means extending through said slots, and a spring within the shaft connected to said pin normally holding the picking means in normal operative position relative to the shuttle to reciprocate the latter along said shuttle race as the shaft osciliates, said spring being yeldable to enable the picking arm to slide alongsaid shaft away from the shuttle race to an inoperative position relative to the shuttle to permit removal of the latter from the shuttle race.

NORMAN FLETCHER.

WALTER Y. ROBB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,502,735 Manning Apr. 4, 1950 2,552,317 Hart May 8, 1951 

